1. Research Methodology
Chapter 1
Nagendra Amatya
Associate Professor
Science and Humanities Department
Central Campus Pulchowk
nbamatya@ioe.edu.np

2. Introduction
• Conceptualization of Research
• Nature of research types of research
• Qualities of research
• Place of theory in research
• Relationship of theory and facts
• Research process

3. Introduction
YOUR RESEARCH
Research can be one of the most interesting features of any
degree course as it offers you a measure of control and autonomy
over what you learn. It gives you an opportunity to confirm, clarify,
pursue – or even discover – new aspects of a subject or topic you
are interested in.
RESEARCH IS…
…….. a process of enquiry and investigation; it is systematic,
methodical and ethical; research can help solve practical problems
and increase knowledge.

4. Introduction cont..
THE PURPOSE OF RESEARCH IS TO…
 Review or synthesize existing knowledge
 Investigate existing situations or problems
 Provide solutions to problems
 Explore and analyse more general issues
 Construct or create new procedures or systems
 Explain new phenomenon
 Generate new knowledge
 …or a combination of any of the above!
(Collis & Hussey, 2003)

5. DIFFERENT TYPES OF RESEARCH:
Exploratory Descriptive Analytical Predictive
Exploratory
Descriptive
Analytical research
research
research
often extends the
is undertaken when
can be used to
Descriptive
few or no previous
identify and classify
approach to
studies exist. The
the elements or
suggest or explain
aim is to look for
characteristics of
why or how
patterns,
the subject, e.g.
something is
hypotheses
number of days lost
happening, e.g.
or ideas that can be
because of
underlying causes
tested and will form
industrial action.
of industrial
the basis for further
Quantitative
action.
research.
techniques are
An important
Typical research
most often used to
feature of this type
techniques would
collect, analyze and
of research is in
include case
summarize data.
locating and
studies,
identifying the
observation and
different factors
reviews of previous
(or variables)
related studies and
involved.
data.
The aim of
Predictive research
is to speculate
intelligently on
future possibilities,
based on close
analysis of
available evidence
of cause and
effect, e.g.
predicting when
and where future
industrial action
might take place

6. Qualities of Good Researcher
• A good researcher manifests thirst for new
information.
• A good researcher has a keen sense of things around
him.
• A good researcher likes to reflect or think about the
things he encounters.
• A good researcher must be intelligent enough to
express his ideas.
• A good researcher applies a systematic approach in
assessing situations.
..Qualities of a Good Researcher.docx
(source : P. A. Regoniel .2012” “http://simplyeducate.me/2012/10/24/5-qualities-of-a-good-researcher” )

7. Deductive Thinking

8. Deductive Logic
• Working from the general to the more specific
• Think up a theory > Narrow down to specific
hypotheses > Narrow down even further to collect
observations > Test the hypotheses with specific
data -- a confirmation (or not) of original theory.
• Use and development of deductive logic > attributed
to Greek philosophy (Aristotle)

9. Deduction
The Deductive approach begins explicitly with a
theory (which could provide a possible answer or
explanation for a particular problem) used to
postulate tentative hypothesis or set of hypotheses,
then proceeds to use observations to rigorously test
the hypotheses.

10. The Deductive argument moves from premises, at
least one of which is a general or universal
statement, to a conclusion that is a singular
statement.
• Deductive propositions form a hierarchy from
theoretical to observational; from abstract to
concrete.
• The Deductivist accepts that observation is
guided and presupposed by the theory.

11. Deduction -Falsification
•Attempts are made to refute the hypotheses
through rigorous criticism and testing. If the data
derived by testing the hypothesis is not consistent
with the predicted conclusions, the theory must be
false.
•Surviving theories are corroborated, but are never
proved true despite withstanding testing and
observation.
•A current theory is superior to its predecessors
only because it has withstood tests which falsified
its predecessor.

12. Inductive Thinking

13. Inductive Approach
• Working from the specific to the general
(theories)
• Specific observations >> patterns and
regularities >> tentative hypotheses >> tests
(further observations) >> extended to general
conclusions or theories
• Perfect induction >> Baconian induction
• Imperfect Inductions >> limited observations
and generalization >> certainty of the
generalization and concept of probability >>
continuous reassessment.

14. Induction
The Inductive approach to enquiry builds
generalizations out of observations of specific
events. It starts with singular or particular
statements and ends up with general or universal
propositions.
It presupposes that explanations about the
workings of the world should be based on facts
gained from pure, dispassionate and neutral
observation, rather than on preconceived notions;
that nature will reveal itself to a passively
receptive mind.

15. Induction (Continued)
•The Inductive strategy assumes that all science
starts with observations which provide a secure
basis from which knowledge can be derived and
claims that reality impinges directly on the
senses.
•The conclusion of an inductive argument makes
claims that exceed what is contained in the
premises and so promises to extend knowledge by
going beyond actual experience.
•The more observations that demonstrate, say, a
relationship between phenomena, the higher the
probability that the general statement is true.

16. Mix of Inductive and Deductive
Logic
• Natural sciences > usually deductive and also
objective (greater store of theories?) >
Mathematics is almost totally deductive
• Social sciences > inductive and also normative
in many instances.
• These days: Research methods use both types of
logics in their procedure and methodologies
• Methods specific to nature of discipline,
problem and objectives of research.

17. Combined approach
A scheme has been proposed by Wallace
(1971) that combines Inductive and
Deductive strategies to capitalize on
their strengths and minimize their
weaknesses creating a cyclic process that
allows for movement between theorizing
and doing empirical research while using
both Inductive and Deductive methods of
reasoning.

18. The Research Wheel

19. Retroduction
Retroductive research logic involves the
building of hypothetical models as a way of
uncovering the real structures and mechanisms
which are assumed to produce empirical
phenomena. The model, if it were to exist and
act in the postulated way, would account for
the phenomena in question. In constructing
these models of mechanisms that have usually
never been observed, ideas may be borrowed from
known structures and mechanisms in other
fields.

20. A phenomena or range of phenomena is
identified, explanations based on the
postulated existence of a generative mechanism
is constructed and empirically tested, and this
mechanism then becomes the phenomenon to be
explained and the cycle repeats.
Astronomical examples:
heliocentric model/Geocentric model,
earth’s tilt and rotation and changing length of days
motion/s of earth, moon and sun and eclipses

21. Retroduction has 'hypothesis formulation' as
the first stage of an enquiry. Here, a
hypothesis must eliminate puzzlement as a
necessary first step.
The hypothesis must be tested using both
Deduction and Induction; in the second stage of
an enquiry, consequences are deducted from the
hypothesis and, in the third stage, these
consequences are tested by means of Induction.

22. Retroduction differs from Induction which infers
from one set of facts, another set of facts,
whereas Retroduction infers from facts of one
kind, to facts of another.

24. RESEARCH PROCESS IN FLOW CHART
FF
Define
research
problem
Review Concept &
Theories
Review Previous
research
Findings
Formulate
Hypothesis
Design Research (
including sample
Design
FF: Feed forward( Serves the
Vital function of providing
criteria for evaluation
Collect Data
Analyze data(
Test
Hypothesis if
any
Interpret
F
F
F: Feed back ( Helps in
controlling the sub system
to which it is transmitted